Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi everyone - I am new to the forum (like 5 mintues new!!) so I hope I am doing this right. Please bare with me as I give the background story to my problem! I have a pit bull that we found as a stray about 3 1/2 years ago, her name is Bodie (4 1/2 years old). From the day we got her she fit right in with our Alpha mutt, Jayda (9 years old). Jayda is very protective of her things - food, bones, toys, personal space, etc., with other dogs. We have had a very peaceful existance through the omission of high value items - Jayda has snapped at Bodie a few times but never any fights. When Jayda snaps, Bodie turned and walked away.
In October of 2011 Bodie ruptured her achilles (same leg as a luxating patella surgery in 09). We attempted to have it fixed. She had surgery, an external fixator, 4 months of crate rest, etc. It was a very trying time (which also included a newborn 2 legger!!) in which she was seperated from Jayda 99% of the time. In Feb 2012 on her 3rd day of no restrictions she was running in the yard and fell over. Ultimately it was discovered that her achilles was still in tact this time, but she had dislocated her knee and hip. Upon x-ray she had AWFUL hip displaysia on that side and it was decided it was best to amputate her leg. (Sure would have been nice to know that PRIOR to trying to fix the achilles!! 
So February 28th she had complete amputation of her left hind leg.
If you're still reading - thank you!! The dogs were fine together once Bodie had recovered from her amputation, which was a breeze compared to the achilles surgery. Fast forward to June - we are in the process of moving out of our house and the girls get in a fight in the back yard. I had accidently put their leashes in a box and when I unpacked them they heard their collars jingle. They jumped off the back porch, took off through the yard and before I could catch up they were fighting. I didn't see who started it, but I naturally "blamed" it on Jayda since she's the alpha. However, Bodie had only a tiny scratch and Jayda had multiple small puncture wounds on her front legs and a wound that required 4 staples on her neck. I had a difficult time seperating them and it was the scariest thing I have ever seen. They were seperate for a week (they were in the kennel while we moved) and when they got back together at the new house everything was fine. I was overly caution and quickly calmed any high energy situations. Until a few weeks ago they were only together in the house as our yard hadn't been fenced in. Since then they have only been together a few times in the yard - with adult supervision and there has been no issues...until Monday.
We were out for morning potty break and everything was fine until Bodie saw a squirrel. As soon as I saw it I started walking towards them and calling them, etc. Before I could get there Bodie went nuts. They started fighting - and to be honest I pretty much blacked out. I got them seperated after what seemed like forever. Jayda was terrified and Bodie was still trying to go after her. Again, Bodie only had a few scratched and Jayda had a wound that required 4 staples. I've kept them seperate during the day since then to avoid excitable situations (UPS man, door bell, visitors, etc.) and they've been together at night with me and husband after my son goes to bed and have been fine.
I've concluded there will be no more time together in the yard. My question after this long rambling story is - has anyone else had their tripod become agressive post amputation? (I should add that before the yard was fenced, Bodie would leash bite when upset about squirrels in the yard.) This is so unlike her. They used to play in the yard and wrestle and carry on and when Jayda had enough she would growl and Bodie would go away. I don't know if it's because Jayda's getting older, or the trauma of the surgery or what. It's bizzare. So far they are fine in the house but I don't know what's going to happen if they can't get along in the house. I have a 16 month old and am planning on getting pregnant again soon. (Bodie and my son are BEST friends and she has shown ZERO aggression towards him. She is the most tolerant dog I've ever seen with a child)
Anyway - hoping someone has some advice or stories to share that may help me to gain some insight in to what's going on and how to move forward.
Thank you so much!!!!
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Search these forums and the blogs for "siblings" or "packmates" and you should find various posts describing how some dogs react differently after amputation – both tripawds and their pack mates. Here are a couple ...
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
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Wow, what a story! That's pretty scary. I've seen a couple dog fights at the dog park, and they are very scary to see; I can't imagine how scary it would be if it was your own two dogs. We also have two dogs; Max had his front left leg amputated in November 2008. However, he was a real easy-going guy, and our other dog, Linda, is pretty submissive. So she never bothered him when he came home, and he never bothered her. They were always just happy to have each other.
I'm kind of dumbfounded on this one. I would suggest speaking to a trainer, or maybe even a behaviorist. That's the best I can come up with. I'm pretty clueless about dog training unless it's the standard stuff (sit, come, stay, etc). Maybe someone here on the forums had a similar situation and will offer some advice. Whatever you choose, I wish you luck with Bodie and Jayda. I know that has to be a real stressful situation for you and your family.
I have pugs- and I had the opposite problem. Maggie, who became a Tripawd, had always been the alpha in our two pug pack. Little sis Tani sometimes challenged her but Maggie held her position. When Mag had her surgery the girls were apart for 6 days. When we re-introduced them Tani immediately attacked Maggie. Even doped up and with one rear leg Mag held her position. After Mag passed I adopted a male pug who was 4 at the time, now 6. He didn't get a good start in life and has some problems and has been pretty submissive. Tani has been the alpha dog but now is over 12 years old. Obie, my boy, now occasionally challenges Tani, but is so normally timid that he doesn't get far. But as Tani gets older I see Obie taking over at some point.
Could that be what Bodie is doing? Seeing weakness in Jayda as she ages and trying to take over? When I had the girls together I had to be very careful not to put them in situations where jealousy would set them off. I don't have to be as careful in my current situation.
Separating fighting pugs is easier than bigger dogs, but I have been bitten, and the girls did sometimes do damage to each other. My friends with bigger dogs who sometimes fought had luck throwing a towel, or blanket, or even a jacket over the heads of the fighting dogs. Not much help with the cause of the problem, but it might help if you do have to separate them again.
I too would seek the help of a trainer, I have used one to help Obie overcome his past with good results.
Good luck.
Karen and the pugapalooza
well this is my sort of story
My Childhood was living in a house of 25 dogs which included all the Danger Breeds Alsations Staffs and Rottweilers and then down to Pomeranian's and Yorkies and to be honest it was normally the lil dogs who caused the problems as I'm sure Karen and Pugapalooza will agree with 
I myself had a Rottweiler Tripawd and 2 Pugs at the same time so I know the worries of pecking order and arguments.
You do normally find that 2 girlies will suffer at sometime with this Pecking order and you find it especially in dominant breeds like Staffs ( In the uk we don't have pits but its all chemistry and naming ) Basically Staffs Rotties pit's all have major attitude, especially it seems between 2 girls ........... Bit like humans mothers and daughters most of the time I want to Bite my 15 year old daughter daily !!! 
When I first started reading your story I thought that Bodie had just had her leg removed, then my comment would have been slightly different as I felt that Bodie was reacting to feeling unsure and just attacking from being emotionally unstable ??? But as she has recovered from the surgery well, it's changed my thoughts on the reply.
I have witnessed more than my fair share of dogfights as we had Boarding Kennels and we also used to handle a lot of Service Breeds and Security Dogs, and I know exactly how awful a full blown fights are and when you love the two dog's in question then that doubles and trebles in emotions 
But the one thing you mentioned that its always heightened situations like Stressful Moving days or chasing something like squirrels which brings in ATTACK MODE !!! and when you have 2 bolshy dogs then things kick off !!
I think its going to be a case of going back to basics with them and not allowing things to escalate ....... easier said than done
You said that when your husbands home there isn't any trouble ???? so I'm wondering how your Psyche or Fear of things happening is making both of them react to how your VIBES are coming off you even without you noticing ???
I will give you an example when I was 16 and we had the boarding kennels we would put different families dogs into kennels together as Dogs enjoy company as we all do 
But I was involved in a very bad fight basically 2 huge Retrievers attacked this single Labrador and it was the most horrific thing I have ever been involved in ........ they were all fine in the end but stitches involved with the Labrador and Myself were severe ....... Then for at least 3 to 4 months I would CAUSE arguments from normally docile dogs ??? I was so worried that they would FIGHT I would send out these PANIC VIBES !! and it was these OMG they are going to fight vibes that actually led to the dogs feeling unsure and in turn they would feel threatened and then they would react ??
If they behave when calm and when your husband is there, then maybe they know that they HAVE to behave as they feel that he is in charge and in control !!! See husbands do have their occasional uses
You also have the fact that Bodie is feeling so much better and Jayda is slowing down so the pecking order comes into play and Bodie is trying to take over !! The main thing that you have to do is make sure they know that YOU are the leader,
your Son has obviously already stated his leadership over the dogs already, so take leads from him !!! Climb all over Bodie and poke fingers in her eyes and you should be sorted !!!!
Maybe not, but simple things like taking control of the food, make both girls wait until they eat, and sit down quietly before you do anything with them, Don't play chase games until they have sorted themselves out ??
Make them work for everything, they sit and wait before food, they have to sit and wait before they leave the house etc Also feed Jayda First as this will show that she has a higher pecking order than Bodie !!
Think of them like a 2 year old on Acid with NO PAIN LEVEL !! and just slow down game, walks, until they know that you are the leader and then Bodie will stop trying to take over ???
Hope this has given you some ideas, but please contact me again and I will think up some more idea's or ways to become Top Dog
Breathe and try to Fake being Calm until you realise that YOU ARE BEING CALM 
love to all zena and Fizzly in Spirit xoxox another danger breed who loved being poked in the eye by toddlers 
P.S you can tell Bodie that she should behave as I have just burn't my dinner while I was writing my reply .... or maybe its just cos I talk too Much...... No that could NEVER happen
Zena reminds me of one thing I meant to discuss- the two girl household. My pug girls were sisters from different litters and were together from the time Mag was about 2 and Tani about 10 months old. They were inseparable- played together and slept together. But the fought periodically for most of their lives when triggered. It was almost always triggered by some type of what I call jealousy- for example if I picked one of them up the one remaining on the floor didn't like it. When I put the one down they would go at it if I wasn't careful.
I was able to discourage that behavior with treats. We did daily eye meds most of their lives (pug thing) so I would have one, then the other in my lap. They never fought in this situation- maybe because they both knew treats were involved.
Karen
well that made me smile as the pugs I have are a mother and daughter team and the mother gets more jealous but her daughter is the most innocent dog I have ever met so I pray we don't have a problem !!
Pug's though must be the stubbornest dog's I have ever met and they are total egomaniac's !! give me 10 Rottweilers any time
They even have their own latin name which is basically small dog BIG PERSONALITY !!!
I'm also totally in love with Maggie Angel she's such a cutie xoxox
I agree that some of the worst fights I have seen are between 2 girls. My tripod Tazzie (female Mastiff) often would start fights with my female Pitt who was older. It usually had to do with possessions or the neighbor dogs barking. They coexisted fine for the most part and I learned to watch for triggers. We did not let them out in the yard together unless I was out there with them and any time I introduced new toys, bones, etc they had to be separated.
I am not sure if your younger dog feels at a disadvantage now that she is 3-legged (so reacts more aggressively) or if it is just coincidence. I do know that once 2 females fight you always have to be prepared for continued conflict!
Pam
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